Abstract:
An in vitro plant regeneration and genetic
transformation protocol was established in jute (Corchorus
capsularis L. var JRC321). One-day-old apical, meristematic tissues of germinating seedlings were used as
explants. Multiple shoots were regenerated from each
explant using Murashige and Skoog basal medium containing 1.78 lM benzylamino purine and 4.92 lM indole3-butyric acid. Transformation was carried out in three
independent sets (each set comprising of three independent
experiments each comprising three replications with 35
explants per replication) using the bialaphos resistance
gene (bar), synthetically designed for high level plant
expression. The positive transformants containing the bar
gene were selected in growth medium containing 2.5 mg/l
bialaphos. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Southern and
northern blots, real-time quantitative PCR, western blot
and enzymatic assay of five putative transformants from
three independent sets provided evidence for full-length
gene integration into the genomic DNA of transformed
jute, as well as high level expression of the transgene.
Analysis of the T1 plants revealed a stable inheritance of
the transgene through the progenies. The data presented in
this report showed considerable advancement in jute
transformation and should improve future genetic engineering strategies to be employed for improvement of this
very important fibre crop.
